Love Island USA winner kicks off acting career but people are literally slating him for it

When Love Island USA season six winner Kordell Beckham announced he was moving into acting, people seemed to cheer his ambition.

But now, with new roles underway, many aren’t quite buying it, and some are even slamming the transition.

Kordell won the show alongside Serena Page and has revealed he’s taking scripted work seriously, but the backlash shows that reality TV fame doesn’t always translate into acting credibility.

Kordell manifested an acting role

In June 2025, it was officially announced that Kordell had been cast in the upcoming scripted series Southern Fried Rice.

The show airs on the keyTV network, and Keke Palmer is executive producer. Kordell plays “Steve,” who’s described as a spontaneous, artsy music major, per People.

This news marked a clear shift from Kordell being just a guy who won a dating show to pursuing acting in a scripted series.

He even confirmed he’d be filming while his fellow Islanders worked on the spinoff series Love Island: Beyond the Villa.

Kordell also landed himself a role in Onyx Collective’s hit legal drama Reasonable Doubt.

So far, so ambitious. And to his credit, the move makes sense. Reality stars have leveraged their fame into broader entertainment roles for years. Reddit was all for it, with people commending Kordell’s work ethic and knack for “manifestation.”

Kordell is banking on momentum from the popularity he built on the show, his modelling work and his sponsorships (yes, the Cheez-It deal is real).

Kordell gets some savage backlash

Now y’all KNOW I love a good story with some heart, a little humor, and a lotta mess! 😅

Introducing @KeyTVNetwork’s Southern Fried Rice, a new coming-of-age dramedy set at a fictional HBCU.

Watch the trailer and catch the double-episode premiere this Wednesday at 12PM/ET on… pic.twitter.com/4t76fVjUnt

— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) October 21, 2025

Now, Keke is sharing trailers for the show on X. But here’s where the story gets rocky.

Not everyone is convinced Kordell’s acting career is ready for prime time.

Some folks question whether shifting from reality TV personality to actor is more about the spotlight than substance.

On Reddit, one thread read: “First his Cheez-It sponsorships and now acting…”

More are sidetracked by the fact the show is getting some concerned responses, totally aside from Kordell hopping from reality TV into a scripted show.

One wrote: “Poor kordell, first serious acting role and everyone boycotting…” and another said the show was “supreme bs” adding that “Keke and Kordell can go to hell.”

However some defended him, and posted: “Kordell just trying to build his acting portfolio. Leave my boy out of this.”

For all the latest reality TV cast member news, scandals, gossip and updates – like Reality Shrine on Facebook.